


spring forward, fall back

by MiniNephthys



Category: 1bitHeart (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-22
Updated: 2015-09-22
Packaged: 2018-04-22 22:22:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4852745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some time machines fail to work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	spring forward, fall back

The first time machine, when it’s time for Mikado and Misane to leave, won’t turn on.

Mikado frowns at it, pokes a few wires here and there, and announces that he’s not entirely sure what’s going wrong. He’ll have to reexamine his blueprints and possibly make another time machine from scratch.

Misane says that she understands. Mikado can take as long as he needs to build a properly functioning time machine. After all, she wouldn’t want to risk her life traveling in a machine that didn’t work 100% correctly.

Nanashi is surprised to see them when they enter his room, and gives them both tight hugs. Mikado and Misane look at each other and silently play the ‘you tell him that we’re not going to stay here, no you tell him’ game for a few moments before Mikado gives in and tells him they’ve only had a temporary difficulty with the time machine, and they won’t be staying much longer than they have to. Nanashi’s expression is difficult to look at.

The second time machine, when it’s turned on, immediately catches fire.

Misane asks where Mikado keeps the fire extinguisher in his apartment, and Mikado tells her that he doesn’t have one. He runs for the kitchen instead and comes back with a bucket full of water, which he uses to put out the time machine. At this point, it’s clearly unusable.

When they come back to his room, Mikado asks Nanashi to order a fire extinguisher online. Nanashi seems happy to be useful in some way.

The third time machine also catches fire, but at least this time they’re ready for it. Nanashi doesn’t look surprised at all when they come back.

The fourth time machine simply falls to pieces when Mikado touches it. Misane picks a bolt off the floor and asks about the possibility of sabotage.

Mikado says he was thinking the same thing, but the only person with any access to his time machine while he was working on it would’ve been Nanashi.

Both of them are silent for a minute as they clean up the mess the time machine left.

Nanashi, Mikado explains, has never been the kind of person who can easily express his own desires. Misane has changed his ability to understand other people, but when it comes to expressing that he’s uncomfortable with something or doesn’t want something to happen, he doesn’t know how to talk about it.

Hence this, says Misane.

Hence all this, says Mikado.

They return to Nanashi’s room.

Nanashi looks as bright as ever when they enter, asking if they need any more help fixing up their time machine, really, he’d be happy to do anything!

Misane sighs and tells him that he needs to stop pretending, and let them leave without ruining their time machine every time.

Nanashi’s face falls. He stammers over his words a few times before admitting: he doesn’t want them to go. Not either of them.

Mikado sits beside him and fluffs up his hair. Nanashi will meet Misane again, he promises. No matter how the past has changed, their paths are still destined to cross. And as for himself… well, they’re the same person, aren’t they? So they’ll be close to each other, even if Nanashi can no longer remember him as ‘Mikado’.

Nanashi tries to hold back tears, and almost manages until Misane sits on his other side and pulls him to her chest. Nestled between the two of them, he can’t keep from crying.

The fifth time machine works flawlessly.


End file.
